#169: Start a Blog

I have no intention to complete this project in its entirety, and that's ok.

The following is a list of 333 goals to complete in the next 999 days (well, 233 goals, adding 50 additional goals at Day 333 and at Day 666). This "333 in 999" idea comes from the much more common "101 in 1001" idea, which is probably a lot more doable, but after thinking it was 300 goals in 1000 days, 101 just didn't feel right to me. Also, in the 101 in 1001 they usually say "read 5 novels" and have it count as one goal. On my list, I'm counting it as 5.

Although I would like to do all of these things, I may not have time, I may not have the money and in the future, I may change my mind about certain goals. For instance, although it's probably a good idea to get a new car in the next 999 I currently don't want to. Some things are inevitable or extremely easy: get a haircut, get my tonsils removed, sing my favorite hymn in church. Some things are lofty or expensive: see Gustavo Dudamel conduct, visit Jill in Seattle, save a butt load of money. Some things may just not happen: see a moose in the wild, go to a fair, attend Mid West. Some are personal, and not something I want to publish for everyone to see, but still are goals. I know I can't do it all, but these are all things I'd like to do, and in this blog I'll document my progress.

333 goals in 999 days works out to be around 1 goal every 3 days. Appropriately, I'm starting this on January 3 (1/3), 2011. Also, as this is my first entry I am also completing one of my goals (!!!): Start a Blog (find under: Technology). Maybe another goal of mine should be stop using colons so much.  As I've typed far more than I think anyone will read (including myself) I won't type too much more about starting a blog, other than I will continue to make improvements on it, especially in these beginning days. Woo! Go Blog! One down, 332 to go!

Places to Go (15)
1-3. Visit three states I've never been to
4-6. Visit three countries I've never been to
7. Take a road trip
8. Go to Disney World
9. Go to Clark's Trading Post
10. Go to a fair
11. Visit Melanie in Connecticut
12. Visit Jessica in Rochester, NY
13. Visit Rachel in Maryland
14. Visit Jill in Seattle
15. See family in Conntecticut

Music--Audience (7)
16. See a Broadway Show/play I haven't seen
17. See an opera I haven't seen
18. See one symphony I've never seen
19. See Gustavo Dudamel conduct
20. Watch a community theater/college play
21. Watch a community theater/college musical
22. Attend an Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus concert

Music--Performance/Practice (15)
23. Learn to play guitar well enough to accompany a music class
24. Improve drum set playing skills
25. Perform the Saint-Saens sonata
26-28. Be in three musicals
29. Conduct a festival band or chorus
30. Personal
31. Sing my favorite hymn at church (Come to the Lakeshore)
32. Perform at Carnegie Hall
33. Sing at a Christmas Eve service
34. Start a Benefit concert for eighth grade class
35-36. Direct two plays/musicals
37. Play Milde every day for one month

Composition (15)

38. Compose original piece for band
39. Compose original piece for chorus
40. Compose original piece for chamber ensemble
41. Arrange piece for band
42. Arrange piece for chorus
43. Arrange piece for chamber ensemble
44. Write an article for a magazine/journal
45-47. Have three works written by different people for C.E.S.
48-52. Write and use five new songs in class

Politics (3)
53. Vote in 2012 Election
54. Work on a political campaign
55. Find Republican Congressional Candidate I like (2012)

Finances (16)
56-58. Invest in three stocks
59. Open Roth IRA
60. Save $10,000
61. Buy a new computer
62. Buy jumper cables
63. Buy a new car
64. Buy a new phone
65. Buy a new ringtone
66. Get picture for mom by her favorite artist
67. Buy new black concert shoes
68. Buy new cufflinks
69. Buy a new suit
70. Buy a computer desk that doesn't wobble so much
71. Donate $1 to charity of choice for every unfinished item after 999 days

Health + Fitness (12)
72. Join a gym
73. Take a fun class at the gym
74. Do a Wii Fit weigh in ("wii-in") every day for a month
75. Get my tonsils removed
76-78. Personal
79. Play tennis
80. Work out three times a week for two weeks in a row
81. Don't drink soda for a week
82. Take a snowboarding lesson
83. Go to the dentist

Presidential Mountain Range (13)

84. Hike Mt. Washington
85. Hike Mt. Webster
86. Hike Mt. Jackson
87. Hike Mt. Pierce
88. Hike Mt. Monroe
89. Hike Mt. Adams
90. Hike Mt. Sam Adams
91. Hike Mt. Quincy Adams
92. Hike Mt. Eisenhower
93. Hike Mt. Franklin
94. Hike Mt. Madison
95. Hike Mt. Jefferson
96. Hike Mt. Clay/Mt. Reagan

Sports (8)

97. Go to a celtics game
98. Go to a college football game
99. Go to a hockey game
100-104. Attend five C.E.S. Games [all different sports]

Literature  (25)
105-109. Read five biographies
110-113. Read four short stories I've never read
114. Read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
115-119. Read five plays [plays I'm in don't count] 
120-129. Read ten novels

TV and Movies (13)

130. Watch all episodes of Mad Men
131. Watch complete series of Six Feet Under
132. Watch The Godfather
133. Watch The Godfather: Part II
134. Watch The Godfather: Part III
135. Watch Lord of the Rings
136. Watch Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
137. Watch Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
138. Watch White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life
139. Watch Casablanca
140. Watch Gone with the Wind
141. Watch The Maltese Falcon
142. Watch The Last Brick Layer in America

Appearance + Cleanliness (7)

143. Grow a beard
144. Get a professional shave
145. Get a haircut
146. Clean out my car
147. Clean the entire house
148. Get Tuxedo dry cleaned
149. Get car washed

Food (19)

150. Go to The Sugar Shack
151-154. Go to four restaurants I've never been to
155. Find a red wine that I like
156. Find a white wine that I like
157-166. Try ten new recipes
167. Eat a Garbage Plate
168. Try a new kind of sushi

Technology (3)

169. Start a Blog
170. Delete 100 facebook friends
171. Have a facebook free month

Education (36)
172. Earn at least 15 credits toward masters degree
173. Update Resume
174. Attend Mid West
175. Attend IDRS (and actually go to workshops that will help me)
176-185. Learn ten new words
186-195. Learn ten new Spanish verbs
196. Learn how to skate backwards
197. Get a 100 on an eighth grade science test
198-207. Go to ten museum

Relationships (9)
208. Be in a relationship on Valentine's Day
209. Personal
210. Personal
211. Personal
212-216. Make five new friends

Miscellaneous (17)
217. Learn how to drive a stick shift
218. Build a square snowman
219. Attend a taping of a TV show
220. Ride in a limo
221. Win a Trivia Night
222. Host a dinner party 
223. Hear Emma (my niece) say my name
224. See a moose in the wild
225. Be in a wedding party
226. Listen only to NPR for a week
227. Ride horse back and send picture to Mr. Tortorici
228. Get C.E.S. piano tuned
229. Become a VP of MPE
230. Carve a Jack-o-Lantern
231. Use all of my personal days
232. Complete a jigsaw puzzle
233. Complete Hard Rock Cafe pin board

Adding Items (100)
234-283. Add 50 more goals at day 333
284-333. Add 50 more goals at day 666